


Just Paper

by VioVayo



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! GX
Genre: Family Issues, Gen, Jun is a child in this, unintentional gaslighting, very slight canon divergencies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-18
Updated: 2018-08-18
Packaged: 2019-06-29 08:37:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 915
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15725841
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VioVayo/pseuds/VioVayo
Summary: He was a Manjoume, and Manjoume didn't talk to paper.





	Just Paper

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this ficlet a while ago to post on tumblr, but I thought I should put it here as well. It is based on my roleplay blog's canon but can stand on its own just fine.

"Jun," Chosaku said, and the boy in question shrunk back a little. His brothers were very busy people. Success on that level didn't leave much time for pointless socialising with the family, so whenever they came to him with the words 'we need to talk' it usually meant something bad. Maybe Jun had made a mistake without knowing it? That happened sometimes, and he always got scolded for it. 'Manjoume don't make mistakes', after all.

"What is this?" Chosaku held up a card.

"That's Genesis Dragon," Jun replied, recognising the card from his collection. It was one of his favourite cards. He liked it a lot - what wasn't to like? The dragon had certainly taken a liking to him. He read it bedtime stories sometimes, as he did all the other monsters as well. They liked when he did that - Jun was very proud of his reading skills, and he felt like they were proud of him too.

His brothers didn't seem happy with his answer, even though he really hadn't said anything _wrong._ They exchanged a look between themselves, like they were trying to find a way to explain something they didn't think he would understand. He was a lot smarter than other children his age, or so they said, but he wasn't nearly as smart as they were.

Shoji looked back at him, eyebrows drawn together in an emotion Jun couldn't identify - was it anger? Had he done something wrong? - and said, "Jun. This is a card."

Yes. Yes it was.

The confusion must have shown on his face. Chosaku sighed, before elaborating, "It's paper."

Jun still didn't understand.

"Do you understand?" the eldest brother asked, but before Jun could truthfully reply that he did not, he continued, "Just a colourful piece of paper. Lifeless. Do you understand that, Jun? We do not talk to paper."

Slowly what Chosaku was trying to say began to sink in. If anything though, Jun was even more confused now than he'd been before. His brother was rarely wrong but this was just silly. Right?

"But that's my friend."

Jun stared at a spot behind his brothers, and the dragon spirit looked back at him, tilted its head in a nod of agreement. "See, Genesis thinks so too." He pointed, and both Chosaku and Shoji turned to look at what he was indicating. Chosaku closed his eyes, touched a hand to his forehead as he turned back like he was fighting one of his many stress-induced headaches.

"Jun-"

"That's why I said we should let a professional handle this," Shoji cut in, tone harsh compared to Chosaku's attempt at sounding patient. It made Jun visibly wince. "He's crazy."

Chosaku directed a disapproving glare at the younger brother, not at all pleased with the interruption. Despite this, he said nothing on the matter. There were far more important things to discuss. "Jun," he started again, attention back with the child that was the source of his worries, "This needs to stop."

"You'll turn eight soon. That's far past the age where having imaginary friends is acceptable." Jun opened his mouth to argue that his friends were not imaginary, they were _real_ and he wasn't crazy, but a hand gesture from the eldest shushed him before he could form even a single word. "No excuses. You need to grow up and be responsible. Stop living in a fantasy world. Do you understand?"

There was that question again. Jun didn't understand. Regardless, he nodded. From the other side of the room, Genesis Dragon let out a distinctly sad sounding growl. Chosaku on the other hand cracked a small smile, though it disappeared again as quickly as it'd come. "Good," he said, reaching out with his free hand to pet Jun's head. "That'll make this easier."

He exchanged another look with Shoji, who'd been watching the scene with an unreadable expression.

"There's someone we'd like you to meet."

 

* * *

 

 

It was about a month later that Jun found himself in his room, holding the deck he'd poured his soul into building in his hands. It had been a long month, one of conversations he couldn't see the point of, medication that didn't do what it promised, and so, _so_ much doubt. Through it all though, he'd come to finally understand what it was that his brothers expected of him.

He needed to grow up. Chosaku and Shoji had long since done just that, and their success in their respective fields even at their relatively young ages spoke volumes. If Jun wanted to be a proper part of this family, he had to stop being a child.

The first step would be to stop believing in something that couldn't be real.

He pretended the sadness he felt radiating from the cards was his own as he gently placed the deck inside a wooden box. The lid was shut, a key turned. It pained him to part with what he had, but if that was what it took to grow up, Jun would put together a new deck. A deck made entirely from new cards - one that was built to _win,_  not to keep him company when he was feeling lonely.

It'd all just been a fantasy anyway. But that was in the past now. Tears gathered in his eyes, but Jun refused to let them fall even as he put the box inside a drawer and shut it. This was for the best.

He was a Manjoume, and Manjoume didn't talk to paper.


End file.
